Staff Applied AI Engineer

About Zscaler

Zscaler is a pioneer and global leader in zero trust security. The world's largest businesses, critical infrastructure organizations, and government agencies rely on Zscaler to secure users, branches, applications, data & devices, and to accelerate digital transformation initiatives. Distributed across more than 160 data centers globally, the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange platform combined with advanced AI combats billions of cyber threats and policy violations every day and unlocks productivity gains for modern enterprises by reducing costs and complexity.

Here, impact in your role matters more than title and trust is built on results. We believe in transparency and value constructive, honest debate—we're focused on getting to the best ideas, faster. We build high-performing teams that can make an impact quickly and with high quality. To do this, we are building a culture of execution centered on customer obsession, collaboration, ownership and accountability. 

We champion an "AI Forward, People First" philosophy to help us accelerate and innovate, empowering our people to embrace their potential. If you're driven by purpose, thrive on solving complex challenges and want to make a positive difference on a global scale, we invite you to bring your talents to Zscaler to help shape the future of cybersecurity.

Role

We are looking for a Staff Applied AI Engineer to join our IT AI/ML Engineering team. This is a Hybrid role based in San Jose, CA or Bellevue, WA (3 days in office), reporting to the Manager of Applied AI Solutions Engineering. You will serve as a technical leader responsible for developing and implementing end-to-end AI solutions that enhance productivity and optimize decision-making across the organization. By designing robust AI lifecycle management strategies and scalable cloud-based pipelines, you will provide the strong foundation necessary for our continued growth as the world's cloud security leader.

What you'll do (Role Expectations)

• Develop and implement end-to-end AI solutions to enhance productivity and optimize decision-making across the organization
• Design AI lifecycle management strategies with automated observability, CI/CD workflows and robust testing frameworks
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify AI opportunities and translate them into technical requirements
• Mentor team members, conduct architecture/code reviews and support AI governance policies for ethical and efficient AI use
• Build scalable, cloud-based AI pipelines leveraging state-of-the-art technologies

Who You Are (Success Profile)

• You thrive in ambiguity. You're comfortable building the path as you walk it. You thrive in a dynamic environment, seeing ambiguity not as a hindrance, but as the raw material to build something meaningful.
• You act like an owner. Your passion for the mission fuels your bias for action. You operate with integrity because you genuinely care about the outcome. True ownership involves leveraging dynamic range: the ability to navigate seamlessly between high-level strategy and hands-on execution.
• You are a problem-solver. You love running towards the challenges because you are laser-focused on finding the solution, knowing that solving the hard problems delivers the biggest impact.
• You are a high-trust collaborator. You are ambitious for the team, not just yourself. You embrace our challenge culture by giving and receiving ongoing feedback—knowing that candor delivered with clarity and respect is the truest form of teamwork and the fastest way to earn trust.
• You are a learner. You have a true growth mindset and are obsessed with your own development, actively seeking feedback to become a better partner and a stronger teammate. You love what you do and you do it with purpose.

What We're Looking for (Minimum Qualifications)

• 6+ years of professional software engineering experience, including 3+ years focused on AI/ML projects
• Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, data science or related field
• Proficiency in Python and SQL, with experience designing, building and deploying production-grade AI/ML solutions
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP or Azure) and familiarity with MLOps/AI DevOps tools (e.g., MLflow, Kubeflow)
• Expertise with CI/CD pipelines, model observability and scalable architectures

What Will Make You Stand Out (Preferred Qualifications)

• Prior experience deploying scalable and secure AI solutions for real-world use cases
• Proficiency in fine-tuning LLMs, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and technologies like Langchain or Langgraph, GraphRAG and Model Context Protocol
• Knowledge of AI lifecycle management, governance frameworks and strategies for monitoring and retraining models

#LI-YC2

Zscaler's salary ranges are benchmarked and are determined by role and level. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations and could be higher or lower based on a multitude of factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

The base salary range listed for this full-time position excludes commission/ bonus/ equity (if applicable) + benefits.

Base Pay Range

$154,000 - $220,000 USD

At Zscaler, we are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve and the customers we work with. We foster an inclusive environment that values all backgrounds and perspectives, emphasizing collaboration and belonging. Join us in our mission to make doing business seamless and secure.

Our Benefits program is one of the most important ways we support our employees. Zscaler proudly offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families throughout their life stages, including:

• Various health plans
• Time off plans for vacation and sick time
• Parental leave options
• Retirement options
• Education reimbursement
• In-office perks, and more

Learn more about Zscaler's Future of Work strategy, hybrid working model, and benefits here.

By applying for this role, you adhere to applicable laws, regulations, and Zscaler policies, including those related to security and privacy standards and guidelines.

Zscaler is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We strive to create a workplace where employees are treated with respect and have the chance to succeed. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy or related medical conditions), age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. See more information by clicking on the Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal link.

Pay Transparency

Zscaler complies with all applicable federal, state, and local pay transparency rules.

Zscaler is committed to providing reasonable support (called accommodations or adjustments) in our recruiting processes for candidates who are differently abled, have long term conditions, mental health conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs, or who are neurodivergent or require pregnancy-related support.